Combination rocking and reclining chair.



No. 687,235. Patented Nov. 26, l90l.

3 J. INGELLS.

COMBINATION ROCKING AND REOLINING CHAIR;

(Application filed Nov. 17, 1900.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

JAMES INGELLS, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

COMBINATION ROCKING AND RECLINING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,235, dated November 26, 1901 Application filed November 17, 1900. Serial No. 36,912- (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMEs INGELLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muske: gon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Rocking and Reclining Chair; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a combined rocking and reclining chair; and it has for its object to produce a chair which can be used as an ordinary rocker and which can have its back inclined backward at any desired angle and the chair locked in position, so that it will not rock while being used as a reclining-chair.

My invention consists of a rocking-chair mounted upon rocker-platforms and having means to hold the rockers on the platforms, combined with means for locking the rockers, which consists of plates which slide in suitable keepers secured to the platforms and which are adapted to be engaged by lockingrods operated through a lever on the'frame.

It also consists in the arrangement and combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a chair which embodies my invention complete, the rockers being raised at their front ends. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the chair in its normal position, showing the back inclined. Fig. 3 shows detached views of the locking device for securing the back at any desired angle to the chair. Fig. 4 is a view of the slotted keeper.

A represents the seat of the chair, which may be constructed as here shown or in any other way that may be preferred, and which has the cleats B secured to the under sides of its opposite side edges. The back 0 is pivoted to the seat A at D, and in order to hold this back 0 at any desired angle to the seat there is secured to the front edge of each side of the back a curved tubular guide E, and which guide E fits over the curved guidingrod F. (Shown in Figs. 2 and 3.) \Vhen the seat is raised into position, as shown in Fig. 1, the .rod F is not exposed; but when the back is inclined, as shown in Fig. 2, the rod is exposed in proportion to the angle at which the back is turned backward. I11 order to lock the seat securely at any desired angle, there is pivoted to the inner end of each tubular guide E a clamping device G, which consists of a perforated link through which the rod F passes. This clamping device G hangs freely from the inner ends of the tubes E, and as soon as these devices are moved at an angle to the ends of the tubes, as shown in Fig. 3, they clamp the guiding-rods F in such a manner as to hold the back C in position. In order to release the back, it is only necessary to move the clamping devices G so as to bear against the end of the tube E, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, when the rods F will slip freely through the clamping devices and allow the back to be adjusted in either direction.

Secured to the lower edges of the cleats B are the flat springs H, and the front ends of these springs are pivoted to the rockers I, while the rear ends of the springs are pivoted to the swinging links J, secured to the rear ends of the rockers, so as-to allow the springs to give as they are depressed. The lower edges of the rockers I are secured upon the curved upper edges of the rocker-platforms K by means of the plate-springs L, of equal width, which plate-springs have their ends secured to the frame and to the lower edge of the rocker in the usual manner, so that the rocker will freely move upon the top of the rocker-platform without any danger of being displaced.

In order to lock the rockers either in a raised or a horizontal position, so that the chair will not rock while being used as a reclining-chair, there is pivoted to the inner side of each of the rockers I a perforated plate or strip M, the lower ends of which pass through suitable keepers N, secured to the inner sides of the rocker-platform K. These keepers N are slightly slotted at one end, as at N, so as to move with and conform to the angle of the vertical strips M, and thus prevent the strips from binding in the keepers N when the rocker'is in motion. Pivoted upon the horizontal brace-rod O, forming a part of the frame K, is a lever P, the front end of which extends a slight distance beyond the front edge of the cross-piece Q. Pivoted to this lever P upon opposite sides of its fulcrum are the rods R, which have their outer ends to pass through openings in the keepers N and to enter any one of the perforations in the vertical strips M. These rods B when withdrawn from the perforations in the strips M allow the chair to be freely used as a rocker; but when they have their ends made to pass through the perforations in the vertical strips M the chair is locked so that it will have no movement. The chair may be locked in the raised position (shown in Fig. 1) or it may be locked when in the horizontal position, (shown in Fig. 2,) as may be desired. As the front end of the lever P is in position to be moved by the heel of either of the feet, the person sitting in the chair can lock or free the chair at will and with but the Very slightest trouble.

By means of the construction above described a very elastic pleasant rocking-chair is produced or a chair which is perfectly rigid and which is adapted for reclining purposes, at the will of the operator. The clamping devices G resting upon the top of the seat when the back is in an upright position the person sitting in the chair has only to hold these locking devices in position and push back upon the back until the desired angle is reached and then release the devices G, and the back will be locked in position. This easy adjustment of the chair especially fits it for the use of invalids and persons who cannot readily move around for the purpose of adjusting the chair as he or she may desire. Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a rocking-chai r, rocker-platforms and which the plates slide, and a lever carrying locking-rods.

2. The rockers of a rocking-chair, the perforated plates loosely secured to their inner sides, rocker-platforms, suitable keepers or guides secured to the rocker-platform through which the lower ends of the perforated plates pass, a lever, and locking-rods secured to the lever for locking the chair in position, substantially as set forth.

3. A rocking-chair and perforated plates vertically secured thereto, combined with rocker-platforms,keepers secured thereto and provided with a slot at one end, an operatinglever, and rods connected to opposite sides of the pivot upon which the lever moves, and which rods serve to lock the chair in position, substantially as shown.

4. In arocking-chair, the combination with rockers having perforated plates secured thereto, of a rocker-platform provided with keepers slotted at one end, an operating-lever fulcrumed to the frame of the platform, rods connected to one end of the lever and adapted to engage the perforated plates, and plate-springs alternately and oppositely socnred to the ends of and interposed between said platform and rockers, substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES INGELLS.

Witnesses:

A. MULHOLLAND, J r., ORAOY MARVIN. 

